I hope you have a good Friday (& 4 glasses of wine at dinner!)

It is time...

Happy Good Friday/last few hours before Passover gets started! I kicked off my day with a tasty 'ol breakfast sandwich because lord knows going a week without my beloved carbohydrates is worthy of a bagel-tastic sendoff. Here to send us all on to the weekend are some holiday themed crafts, creations and goodies from around the web. Wishing you all happy holidays and wonderful weekends! 

Passover desserts are seriously crumby (literally and figuratively!) but this inspired idea from Mommy Shorts to set up a Matzoh Dessert Toppings Bar looks almost tasty enough to make me forget I'm eating matzoh:)

Would it be weird if I made these for my family's seder?! Are they not the prettiest Easter Eggs your ever did see!? For a full tutorial on these pressed flower eggs and also ombre glitter eggs(!!) from Lauren Conrad, click HERE.

Just in time for your Easter Sunday Brunch, here are 12 Easy Egg Recipes from SMP.

How absolutely beautiful (and wild!) is this Easter Egg Tree? 

Learn more about this annual labor of love, located in Germany HERE.

This is so bad that it's SO good.

When in doubt...

Amazing pun to start your weekend right.

... just share something funny and amazing right? In case you hadn't guessed by the sparse posting this week, work is in beast mode at the moment, but I shall survive and so shall you. It's Friday B*tches! woo! Here to keep us entertained (without too much thought or effort) is this video, which is freaking hysterical:

Also, THIS IS THE GREATEST NEWS I'VE HEARD IN A VERY LONG TIME!!!!!! (all caps and many exclamation points to clearly convey my insane excitement). I had Freezy Freakies as a kid and I loved them so damn much. I remember them clearly and I also remember how I liked to put them in the freezer sometimes during non-winter months, just so I could see watch them change. 

If you know me and love me, you will buy me a pair of these gloves.

Yaaaaay!!

Life Goal.

Today is one of those Fridays when I feel super excited that it's Friday. Not because this week was particularly trying or bad, just because weekends (especially 3-day weekends!) will always be preferable to work days (no matter how much I love my work, I've recently discovered. Doh!) To send you into the weekend I thought I'd share a few things that have been making me smile recently. Here's to smiles, Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays. xox!

I recently started following the instagram account BABYANMLS, the self-proclaimed "only baby animals page on instagram". It is so adorable I could squeal out loud every time one of their pictures comes up in my feed (and I often do). And of course because my Insta feed is quickly becoming a stream of dog and cute animal images anyway, I am now also following DailyAnmls, their other account.

People's creativity and talents never cease to amaze me and these hand carved Crayola "sculptures", available for sale on Etsy from Hoang Tran of "Wax Nostalgic" are no exception. These guys come in all sorts of characters (they'll even do a custom carving of your dog!) and would make an absolutely adorable gift, framed in a shadow box, or as art work hung perhaps in your kiddos' bedroom!? Check out the store and all Tran's amazing carvings HERE.

Started by one of my favorite bloggers/interiors designers Justina Blakeney, #FacetheFoliage is a collection of amazing collages of flowers and leaves made into faces with expressiveness beyond belief. Search the #FacetheFoliage on Instagram or Twitter for Justina's work and to see the movement she's created. Also check out the time Vogue got in on the trend..!

Funnies for your Friday!

HELLLLLZ to the YES.

So yesterday the universe shined 20 minutes of spare time at the computer upon me so I paid a visit to my long lost lover Pinterest for some delightful pinning. The results are hysterical and the perfect way to head into the weekend. Enjoy!!

Best. Graffiti. Ever.

Particularly funny for this former sheepdog owner :)

hehe.

Tru dat Barb

And for your final funny of the day - I'm nearly 30 years old and travelling home tonight with a rolling suitcase containing nothing but a Father's Day Gift and dirty laundry.

#NevertooOldtoUseMomandDadsFreeWasher #HappyFathersDay!

Peace out homies.

3 DAYS!!! 3 WHOLE DAYS!!!!

Friii-day... FRiiii-Day.... FRRRII-DAY.... FRIDAY... FRIDAY! WOOOOO!!! I feel like a deserve a freakin medal for surviving this endless week, but I will happily accept a long weekend instead!! Here for your viewing pleasure as we collectively count the minutes until quitin' time are some goodies of the Memorial Day and generally cool variety. 

This post from Domaine Home is a soup to nuts (or shall I say dip to pie!? hehe) summary of how to host the perfect Memorial Day weekend get together. Now who's inviting me over!?

And because who doesn't love a thematic cocktail (in a mason jar of course:) click HERE to learn how to make that America-tastic Patriotic Punch (or Pin it for July 4th HERE).

Sassy

Silly

Sweet.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

On my mind (and in my ears)...

YAY indeed!

It's Fri-yay!! This morning, after Wednesday weather that was reminiscent of a mid-winter monsoon and a Thursday that couldn't seem to make up it's mind, I basked in the glory of a perfect spring stroll to the subway and the fact that a glorious weekend is mere hours away. Here to take you into the weekend is a bit of what's been on my mind (and in my ears!) lately. Have a good one!

Purple reign!?

Been thinking about my hair again and maybe, just maybe, going back to the wild side. Since as I've shared before (here, here) it takes months for me to commit and dye-ve in (hehe), what are your thoughts on the purple/lavender trend? Not for my whole head of course, but maybe a few underside streaks for summer!?

Nutrition Fact.

j'adore

I'm thinking there will need to be gold polka dots in my next apartment. Yes definitely... gold polka dots... (Check out the dots and other amazing wall decals and removable wallpaper patterns from WallsNeedLove)

It sometimes is all Black & White.

What's that you say Dr. H? You want to throw me a "Black and White Ball" a la Truman Capote for my 30th Birthday!? (Someone tell him, he doesn't read the blog!!)

If you love lady rap, then you must check out the debut album from Iggy Azalea, The New Classic. Funky fresh hip hop and ridiculous beats (without the rage of Minaj or Lil Kim), Iggy will no doubt be in my ears all weekend.

Slow Down. Relax & Enjoy.

Breathe it in. Enjoy your day.

This morning I got down to the subway platform just as both the Local and Express trains were entering the station. The Express train, my usual preference, skips 14th and 23rd streets and gets me to work in just 3 stops while the Local hits those in-the-middle stations, taking a few extra minutes (or more if there's "train traffic ahead"). I immediately went on auto-pilot for the speediest train, but noticed out of the corner of my eye that the Local was nearly empty and offered plenty of seats as compared to the Express which was the picture of "how do NYC'ers do that each day?" sardines in a can awful. I paused and thought of the good book in my purse (Beautiful Ruins, I'm 40 pages from done and it's great!) and with a smug "I'm doing this for ME" sort of smile, strolled on to the Local, took out my book and snuggled into a seat for 9 glorious minutes of self-indulgence. Here's wishing you a long weekend filled with tiny treats, relaxation and time to slow down and enjoy!!

Also, in case you're wondering what to whip up for the 2 awesome football games on tap for Sunday (old guard and new guard, Manning vs. Brady, young QB showdown!!) here is the triumphant (and very overdue) return of the Feed Your Football Face Recipe of the Week (x3 because I think I owe ya!!)

Jimmy Fallon's Crock Pot Chili

Jimmy Fallon does a lot of awesome things. I'm going to assume making chili is one of them. 

Pin it HERE, full recipe HERE.

Crispy Ravioli

This is gonna be so easy and SO good. Turn store-bought ravioli into a bite sized treat!
Pin it HERE, full recipe HERE.

Brownie Batter Dip! YUUUUUUM.

I am a big fan of dessert dips and this one is likely to be no exception. Basic ingredients and easy prep too!

Pin it HERE, full recipe HERE.

Be sure to check out all the previous "Feed Your Face" posts HERE.

And finally, sending mountains of well wishes to SeektobeMerry's Birthday Girl, Ms. (parent)thetically speaking. May this be the dawn of your brightest decade yet!! xox

A Gift Guide, Guide.

Sparkle Baby!

Happy Friday my merry friends! I woke up with some extra pep in my step knowing that the happiest of happy hours was finally within reach and because the lovely Ms. (parent)thetically speaking and her hubby are in town for a little work trip/visit. Nothing like waking up to a favorite friend snoozing on your pullout couch:) It's a happy Friday indeed!! 

Here to take you into the weekend, one of our last before Christmas, is a roundup of holiday gift guides. Since every blogger on the planet has been posting gift guides all week, I thought I'd create the pièce de résistance, a "Gift Guide, Guide" (game over I win!). Check out my favorites of other people's favorites and then get shopping! (And because every Friday should have a funny, THIS is just.... HA!!!)

For the Dudes

* For hip dudes 
* For cool dudes 
* For the man (or lady really) with a mug in his hand 
* For the man who likes a drink 
* For your hottie husband 
* For your fashionist'er 
* For your super cool Dad 

For the Ladies

* For adventurous chicas (love this whole list!) 

* For your female foodie (especially love these tea towels designed by Diana of exPress-o!)

* For Miss Betty Crocker Jr 

* For a classy gal 

* For the home decor obsessed 

* For the chic one 

* For little miss elegant 

* For your wonderful mom 

* For the lady who gives what she really wants to get! 

For the Kiddos

* The perfect toy collection

* For baby and big sibling

* For little miss sophisticated
* Perfect for any age

High end gifts for Friends, Family & Lovers

Super glam Manhattan mama Marissa over at Lady & Prince has had some amazing guests post carefully curated lists on her blog. These lists all ooze elegance and though some items are pricey, they won't all break the bank!
* http://ladyandprince.com/2013/12/holiday-gift-guide-curated-abigail-klem/

* http://ladyandprince.com/2013/12/holiday-gift-guide-curated-cannon-lewis/

* http://ladyandprince.com/2013/11/holiday-gift-guide-featuring-katie-evans/

* http://ladyandprince.com/2013/11/holiday-gift-guide/ (this one is my fav I think!)

Plus! YouAreMyFave has been crushin it with creative gift wrap ideas (HERE) 

PS- For Dr. H, my avocado King http://diana212m.blogspot.com/2013/11/christmas-gift-guide-2013-part-four-for.html

Eat, Sleep, etc.

I'm with ya kid.

When I found that picture, I couldn't believe how perfectly it embodied how I'm feeling on this sunny fall Friday. Really hungry and pretty darn tired... I'm ready for a tasty meal and a serious nap. Way to get things done kid.

Also, want to hear something kinda nuts? In two weeks from today, Thanksgiving will be over and Channuka will already be underway. Holy holiday season how quickly you've snuck up on me!! (And don't even get me started on the turkey/dreidel overlap, more on that next week...) This will be my last weekend hanging at home for a bit, so I'm hoping for a solid combination of productive (I need to get gift shopping!) and relaxing (family Sunday brunch reservations made.) And since we've still got plenty of football to be watching:

"Feed Your Football Face" Recipe of the Week: 

Cranberry, Butternut and Brussels Sprout Brie Skillet Nachos

* brought to you by Half Baked Harvest

These my friends, are not you're average nachos. These are a high brow, brie-tastic, fancy feasting treat perfect for your "it's too damn cold outside, this game will be better from the comfort of my couch" viewing party.

Since this recipe has a whole lot of ingredients (and some pretty drool-inducing photos) on the Half Baked Harvest site, why don't you just click HERE to learn how to cranberry, butternut, brussel sprout brie nacho your weekend or click HERE to Pin it for later.

And for all of the "Feed Your Football Face" recipes of the week, click HERE.

Is it over yet!?

word.

Even though this week went by relatively quickly, I am so ready for the weekend. So. Ready. So let's all check out these goodies meant to entertain, amuse, feed and inform, then power down our computers and get the hell outta here! Have a great weekend :)

watch out for the yellow ones Buddy!

So I think it's a bit early to be pushing Christmas (though Radio City Music Hall obviously disagrees, their tree has been up for 2 weeks now!) but when I stumbled upon THIS list of secrets from my most favorite Christmas movie Elf, I simply had to share.

awwww

Those are some pretty darn cute rats. (<-- and that is something I never imagined I would say.)

Those are pictures of the Lower East Side of Manhattan... YESTERDAY!!! Apparently Steven Soderbergh is filming a Cinemax miniseries called The Knick right now and transformed Broome and Orchard streets to look like something straight out of the early 1900s. Can you imagine accidentally stumbling upon that while out and about? What a mind trip! So freaking cool.

I like it.

And lastly, because it's Friday and someone has to bring the sweet treat to the tailgate...

"Feed Your Football Face" Recipe of the Week: Sprinkle Nutella Rolls*

*brought to you by Inside BruCrew Life

Ok, so these guys look epic-bananas levels of delicious and I was thrilled to discover that they are epic-bananas levels of easy to make: 

Ingredients

1 package crescent rolls (Pillsbury)

1/2 cup Nutella spread

sprinkles

Instructions

Unroll the crescent rolls and press together the seams. Spread with Nutella. Make sure to not go all the way to the edge. Top with sprinkles. Gently roll up. Cut into 9 even slices. Place in a glass baking dish with room around each one.

Bake at 375* for 14 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating. Top with more sprinkles if desired.

Click HERE to Pin it, click HERE for the full recipe (and super helpful step-by-step images) and click HERE for all of the Feed Your Football Face Recipes of the week!

Have a colorful weekend!!

bbbaaahh-utiful!

Guess who is TOTALLY PUMPED that it's Friday!? THIS gal!!! I am so so (so) excited to have survived this post-vacation beast of a week and I've got an awesome weekend ahead so it doesn't get much better than that. I hope you have something special planned too :) Here to take us into the weekend is a mess of goodies from around the web. Enjoy!!!

Rock on.

The new Pearl Jam album, Lightning Bolt, came out this week and it is a solid outing from one of my favorite rock bands. Though it's nothing revolutionary, it's track after track of brooding musicality and thoughtful lyrics. I've got a date with Eddie and the rest of the band at Barclays tonight and I won't mind hearing a few of these newbies mixed in with the 90s/00s Pearl Jam I fell in love with.

More about those totally fly rainbow sheep (straight from Pinterest, because I believe everything I read on the internet): Freshly dyed sheep run in view of the highway near Bathgate, Scotland. The sheep farmer has been dying his sheep with nontoxic dye since 2007 to entertain passing motorists...

And because I know I owe you at least two 31 Days of Halloween goodies from this week:

So easy and absolutely adorable as Halloween party decor, all you need are some white and orange balloons and a sharpie to pull together this crafty creation!

Autumn nights...

If you're looking for seasonal decor that's more on the classy side and all-fall-long friendly (these would look awesome at the entry to your home for Thanksgiving!) try this DIY from Design Mom (link to full instructions HERE) for apple votive candles. I love the idea of floating the fruit, 'a la bobbing for apples, too!

And lastly, because it's Friday and pigskin seasons is officially in full swing....

"Feed Your Football Face" Recipe of the Week: Buffalo Cauliflower*

*brought to you by Persnickety Plates

Tailgate food is not typically healthy food and no one wants to be the chick that brought the veggie platter, but this creative recipe seems to really deliver the best of both worlds - classic tailgate taste, none of the post-pig out guilt.

Ingredients  

head of cauliflower
For the batter

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup water
dash of Frank's Wing Sauce (or Frank's Original Hot Sauce)
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon dried onion (I use Tastefully Simple's Onion Onion)
For the buffalo sauce
1/4 cup Frank's Wing Sauce
3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
pinch of salt

Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

- Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with non-stick spray (I always use olive oil spray) and set aside.

- Wash your head of cauliflower and cut into pieces. I made a variety of sizes.

- In a medium bowl, mix together the batter ingredients. It will be fairly thick.

- Dip each piece of cauliflower into the batter until fully and evenly coated. Place onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.

- Bake for about 15 minutes until the batter just hardens.

- In a small bowl, mix together the buffalo sauce ingredients.

- Once the cauliflower are done, remove from the oven and brush with the buffalo sauce. Again, fully and evenly coat each piece.

- Put back into the oven and bake for a few more minutes (I think 5-7 minutes was my range), until  the sauce has mostly dried and the cauliflower is crispy.

- Remove from the oven, let cool, then enjoy! (dip in Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing!?)

Click HERE for the full recipe (including printable version) or HERE to Pin it!

Check out previous "Feed Your Football Face" recipes HERE.

Au revoir!

I'm in a Parisian state of mind...

Friiiday. FRIIIDAY. FRRRRIIIIIDAAAAYYY!!! And not to brag, but this Friday is extra sweet for me because Dr. H and I are off on a(nother) anniversary adventure, this time to France! (I bragged). Anyway, even if you aren't headed to France tonight, I'm wishing you the most wonderful weekend and some sunny, smiley October days ahead. Plenty of goodies will still be here between the 31 Days of Halloween and some F.I.T.S. of Merriment, so keep stopping by and being merry. Au revoir!

31 Days of Halloween - A Glow-in-the-Dark Mummy Pumpkin!

This adorable alternative to a jack 'o lantern is sure to bring the smiles (and if you ask me, it's just as cool!) Pin it HERE or go straight to the BHG instructions HERE.

"Feed Your Football Face" Recipe of the Week: Chili Mac Casserole*

*brought to you by Lady Behind the Curtain

This hearty dish is perfect for the colder weeks ahead when tailgating means warming up and filling up with something tasty.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 - 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 - 16 ounce kidney beans, undrained

6 ounces tomato paste

4 ounces chopped green chilies

2-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups Mexican cheese blend, shredded

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook macaroni according to package directions. In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, chilies and seasonings. Drain macaroni; add to beef mixture. Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Click HERE for the full recipe (including printable version) or HERE to Pin it!

Check out previous "Feed Your Football Face" recipes HERE.